NSW Police in talks about Sharrouf kids

The lawyer for the mother-in-law of notorious Islamic State fighter Khaled Sharrouf says efforts to repatriate her daughter and grandchildren from Syria have been conducted through counter-terrorism officers from NSW Police.

The Australian Federal Police have said neither Karen Nettleton, who is trying to get her daughter Tara Nettleton and five children back to Australia, nor any other family member "had directly contacted the AFP at any time" about securing their return.

But Karen Nettleton's lawyer, Charles Waterstreet, told AAP the matter has been discussed with counter-terrorism officers from NSW Police and NSW Police had been kept up to date on the situation.

"All conversations that I've had have been with NSW Police counter-terrorism," Mr Waterstreet said on Tuesday.

He insists efforts are aimed at securing the safe return of the five children taken to Syria by Tara Nettleton and Sharrouf, who's now believed to have been killed.

"It's only about the children and their repatriation. That's the reason why we're talking to police, informing them how we're going and keeping them up to date, and that is NSW counter-terrorism (police)."

The AFP's counter-terrorism chief Neil Gaughan told The Daily Telegraph there was no direct contact between the AFP and Ms Nettleton, nor with her daughter Tara.

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Assistant Commissioner Gaughan did say there was some contact with a lawyer who said they were acting for the family.

"The AFP has had no contact at all with Karen or Tara Nettleton," he said.

The AFP has previously said it would be unable to help anyone in Syria because it was a war zone that lacked an effective police force which could provide cooperation.

Authorities are still trying to confirm Sharrouf is dead after it was initially reported he could have been killed in al-Raqqa, the Islamic State's self-proclaimed capital in Syria, with friend and fellow Islamic State fighter Mohamed Elomar.

Highly classified images captured by the US military have reportedly confirmed Elomar - who married Sharrouf's eldest daughter - was killed in a drone during an attack on an Islamic State convoy.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Sunday said authorities were trying to confirm the latest reports.

"Our security and intelligence agencies are working to verify reports that Khaled Sharrouf survived a coalition air strike which is believed to have killed Mohamed Elomar," she said.